Page 28 of Cage Me

Yeah, that wasn’t happening. “I don’t think she wants to come with us.”

“I’m not leaving without Fallyn.”

She was gorgeous so fierce like this. She was his priority and he wouldn’t let anything get in his way of rescuing her. Not even herself.

“You’re asking for a shit-ton of trouble. Kur-Jara and Ereshkigal barely let her out of their site, much less leave hell. I didn’t sign on for a jailbreak of that magnitude.”

“I thought you wanted to cause him trouble.”

“Yeah. I do. But, if you take Fallyn out of hell, hell is going to follow. I want to rake that bastard over the coals, but I’m not fucking stupid.”

“I’m not going anywhere with a dragon warrior.” Fallyn tossed one of her daggers from behind her wall of ornaments, but Cage redirected it to the wall with a breath of wind.

The woman obviously didn’t want to go and why would Cage want to help her? She’d attacked and seriously injured Match.

She was important to Azynsa, that’s why.

Azy laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes again.

“I can’t make her leave if she doesn’t want to, love.”

“Yes, you can.” She swallowed hard, like she was trying not to throw up. “We can’t leave her to her father. She’s been abused here her entire life. No one should have to live like that.”

“Go away.” Fallyn hollered from behind her wall of ornaments and threw another dagger.

Cage side-stepped the projectile again. She didn’t seem to be trying that hard to actually hit them. “You want us to rescue her from hell.”

Azy’s face went ashen and her eyes rolled back in her head. She convulsed in his arms. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

He was losing her, right here, right now.

The shard at her throat sparked, blinking bright and then off and on again. A sharp emptiness pierced him deep inside. If he didn’t get her out of here and god-damned quick he was going to lose her forever.

He knew no help was coming his way, but he sent up a prayer anyway, if only to buoy himself for the upcoming battle to get Azy safely to the surface. A good warrior had brawn, but smarts and knew the half of winning was the mental game. “First Dragon, hear my plea. Guide me in the way of your warriors. Show me the way out of here.”

The tunnel outside of the cave was empty and looked like the best place to start. With or without Jett and Fallyn, he was taking Azy home. He held her tight in his arms and made for the entryway.

“Izzy says to show you the mermaid’s secret.”

Cage stopped. Fallyn had come out of her hiding spot. He didn’t know who Izzy was, but if she was on his side, then they were about to be new best friends.

“Will the secret help save her?”

Fallyn tipped her head to the side and her eyes flitted from side to side for just a moment. “Yes.”

“Then show me.”

Fallyn grabbed the mirror Azy had tucked into her belt, the only thing left of the leather leggings she’d been wearing.

“I know. I'm going to. I will. Go away.” Fallyn shook her head and rolled her eyes as if they could all commiserate with the frustration she was having over the conversation with the person in her head.

It sure as hell didn't seem like a good idea to follow a crazy person through the tunnels of hell, though he didn't exactly have another choice at the moment.

“Lead on.”

Fallyn redirected her eye roll at him. She held up the mirror so that he was looking directly into it. Only his own reflection did not look back at him.

“You're the one connected to the mermaid. Not me, anymore.” She seriously thought Cage was a dumbass.

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